Wave of Killing of Women;

Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that women activists on Thursday organized a conference in Baghdad to protest the increasing problem of women being targeted for killing, especially by religious militias. They said that more than 100 women have been killed in Basra, 250 in Kirkuk province, and 50 in Diyala.

McClatchy reports on Shiite hopes that their holy days in the month of Muharram will not be targeted by Sunni Arab guerrillas.

McClatchy reports political violence in Iraq for Thursday:

Baghdad: 3 unidentified bodies were found in Baghdad today by Iraqi Police. . .

Mosul

Gunmen exploded a primary school on the right bank in al-Intisar neighbourhood, east Mosul Gunmen exploded a primary school on the right bank in al-Intisar neighbourhood, east Mosul, late this afternoon. No casualties were reported.

An abandoned carbomb explodes on the left bank of Mosul (west Mosul), in al-Shifaa neighbourhood near al-Tahira church causing the death of 1 policeman and the injury of 1 woman and damage to the outer wall of the church.

Salahuddin

1 policeman killed during clashes with gunmen late last night.

Basra

One of the representatives of Ayatollah al-Sistani in Basra, Sheikh Mohammed Felek escapes from an assassination attempt as gunmen driving two modern cars open fire upon him in al-Zubair city, west Basra at 09:00 this evening.

1 policeman killed and another injured as gunmen open fire upon them near Ibn al-Jawzi shrine, 2 km to the south of Basra city this evening.” ‘

Tom Engelhardt examines the rhetoric of “progress” and “hope” that are now being deploying against the Iraqis by the Washington press corps.